Snowshoe Cat

The Snowshoe is a breed of cat. The first Snowshoes appeared in the 1960s in the United States as a result of cross breeding between a Siamese and a bi-colored American Shorthair producing a sturdy, pointed cat with white markings on the face, chest and feet. The Snowshoe can be, but not necessarily a relatively small cat with a lean and muscular stature. The ACFA standard for this cat breed states that it gives the appearance of great power and agility, yet has the look of a runner rather than a weight lifter.

The Snowshoe is a breed of cat. The first Snowshoes appeared in the 1960s in America, as a result of cross-breeding between a Siamese and a bi-colored American Shorthair. Originally, the Snowshoe resulted from crossing Siamese, or Oriental Shorthairs, with American Shorthairs. Today Snowshoes generally result from Snowshoe to Snowshoe breedings. Any of the three breeds are legal, and acceptable out crosses, provided they are the right color.

Some breeders may wish to out cross in order to expand their gene pool, introduce new colors, or improve certain traits within their lines. Snowshoe Cats trace their origins back to Dorothy Hinds Daughtery of Kensijng Cattery in Philadelphia, PA. During the late 1960’s her two Siamese cats produced three kittens with striking white feet.

Because of the white feet, they were give the name Snowshoes. The popularity and gene pool of the Snowshoes has been increasing, greatly due to the early efforts of breeders, Jim Hoffman, Georgia Kuhnell, Vikki Olander, and Phyllis Thompson.

These breeders recognized the unique beauty of the Snowshoe and insured it’s survival. Since, their has been copy cats of the breed, but none are as enduring andtrue. Currently the Snowshoe is enjoying increasing popularity, through out the country and parts or the world. The Snowshoe is a breed of cat. The first Snowshoes appeared in the 1960s in America, as a result of cross-breeding between a Siamese and a bi-colored American Shorthair.

The ears are large and triangular. The head will also be triangular and usually has black markings. In purebreds, the eyes are always blue. Coat is short-haired, and is white and gray. The tail is medium-sized. Snowshoe cats come in blue, fawn, chocolate, and seal points.

Social! An Ideal Companion! Affectionate! Vigorous! Intelligent! Healthy! The Snowshoe Cat sparkles with intelligence. Sometimes a talker, it’s voice is generally soft and melodic. Affectionate, it is an ideal companion and habitats well with other animals. Snowshoes love to be around their people. They will follow family members around the house. They love running water and many can be taught to fetch.

Because snowshoes are so gregarious, they should not spend long periods of time alone. They need company. Snowshoes are a vigorous breed. They are not known for any potential health problems. Snowshoes are vibrant and alert, active but not high strung. Because they are not bred toward any extremities, the cats have remained healthy. Kept indoors, Snowshoes will remain playful and happy for many years.

They are generally sweet tempered, energetic, intelligent, and adaptable. They are a very social breed that requires more attention than most cats do, and consequently cannot be left alone for long periods of time. In a typical household they will be friendly to everyone, but will usually devote themselves almost entirely to one person.

The Snowshoe is a medium cat that combines the heftiness of its domestic shorthair ancestors with the length of its oriental ancestors. It is a well-balanced cat overall, firm and muscular. It gives the appearance of great power and agility, yet has the look of a runner rather than a weight lifter.

The unique combination of the pointed pattern, the white spotting and the moderate body type sets the Snowshoe apart from other breeds. When the white pattern is symmetrically marked against the dark points, the cat is most striking. Also striking is the snowshoe’s sparkling and affectionate personality.

The head is as wide as it is long, slightly rounded, of medium size, and in good proportion and visual balance with the rest of the body. Cheek-bones are set high. The nose should be of good length, neither extremely broad nor pointed, and in proportion to the rest of the head.

The forehead should be a flat plane rising slightly above the muzzle giving the appearance of two distinct, parallel planes, no less than the width of an eye between the eyes. When the whiskers are smoothed back, the underlying bone structure is evident. Allowances are to be made for stud jowls in older males.

The ear size ranges from medium to medium-large with slightly rounded tips. The head may be triangular, however can be an “applehead” shape with a traditional cat look. The short-haired coat consists of solid and white patterns. Points (ears, tail, face-mask and sometimes legs) are solid black-based colors. White patterns vary, typically falling along the face, chest, stomach, and paws. The body is an even coloration, subtle shading to point color on back, shoulders and hips; toning to a lighter shade near chest and stomach. Paw pads may be white, point color, flesh tone, or mottled. Their color will darken with age, even to the point of turning a chocolate brown shade. In purebreds, the eyes are always blue. The tail is medium-sized. Snowshoe cats come in blue, lilac, lynx, fawn, chocolate, and seal points.

They are generally sweet tempered, energetic, playful, quite vocal, intelligent, and adaptable. They are a very social breed that requires more attention than most cats do, and consequently cannot be left alone for long periods of time. They usually are friendly to everyone in the household, but will typically be primarily focused on one person in the household. Their colors and markings become visible within 1-3 weeks after being born. The pattern on each of these cats are different for each Snowshoe. The Snowshoe is considered to be a rare breed.

New Fact About Cats

“In 1952, a Texas Tabby named Dusty set the record by having more than 420 kittens before having her last litter at age 18.”